Gold Dust, the Lost Engine and the Island of Sodor
by Bingo the Cat
Summary: An alternate reality of Doctor Who – set in the world of Thomas and Friends (specifically "Thomas and the Magic Railroad"). Angie and Arty come up from London to see an old friend in Shining Time, where they are introduced to the world of magic engines, magic railroads, and a young lady who seems to hide away in her mountain workshop… Please read and review (R&R).


**A/N:** Just a little idea that popped into my head when I was drawing _Doctor Who_ stuff and listening to **Some Things Never Leave You**, **Lily Travels to the Island of Sodor**, the "Lily and Patch" part of **Diesel 10 Threatens Mr. C / Lily and Patch**, **Through the Magic Buffers** and **The Chase, the Clue and the Happy Ending** from _Thomas and the Magic Railroad_. As long as the idea that Vastra is dead, but not dead (we'll come to that bit later on in the story), Strax is an engine driver, the Doctor will appear later, and Clara is basically in Patch's position (just a bit older) can be accepted, I think we'll be okay. All places mentioned in this story belong to Britt Allcroft and the makers of _Shining Time Station_, and all characters belong to either the BBC (_Doctor Who_ characters) or Britt Allcroft and the Reverend W. Awdry (_Thomas and Friends_ characters). Enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER I**

_~Muffle Mountain~_

"There, Mutt. Paint job's finished!"

The old, fluffy terrier dog barked up at his owner. Clara Oswald grinned, putting her paintbrush back in the tin and patting Mutt on his grizzly head. The white horse tied up to the fence surrounding Shining Time Station nudged his nose against Clara's neck, who laughed and fed him a polo mint.

"I reckon Shining Time has the best welcome sign of any town in our valley!"

Mutt barked again, twice. Clara's grin broadened.

"Well, I'm glad you agree! Strax's old map sure helped a lot!" Mutt gave another two barks, and Clara picked up the old map from the workbench, a pencil stuck behind her ear. "He's on his way back now, is he? You hear that train whistle sooner than it hears itself!" Mutt barked once more.

Clara sighed, and put her free hand on her hip. "I just wish Jenny were here to see this…"

Mutt whined, and pushed his wet nose into Clara's side. The young woman smiled sadly down at the old dog. It was not to be denied that Mutt was getting old, but he was a big part of Clara's life, especially when she was growing up. He was the one who took her tears when no one would listen to her, would be the one to sit faithfully beside her as she struggled to revise for her exams, was the one who kept her grounded.

A whoosh of steam rolled over the station, and Strax stepped down from the Rainbow Sun, towards Clara and Mutt. "Fine work, Clara!"

"Thanks…"

Clara frowned, and looked back down at Strax's map. "Hey, I've been looking at your map. What are these mysterious shadowy lines doing on it?" She looked at Strax, who only just reached her shoulder; as a Sontaran who had gotten himself stranded on Earth, he was much shorter than her, but much stockier, too. "They look like straight railroad tracks, but I can't see any railroad tracks around here. Except for the ones that you travel on." Strax smiled, and shrugged.

"It's a mystery, that makes this land so…" He gestured around with his three fingers, looking at peace with the world. Clara bit her lip.

"Magical?"

Strax smiled more brightly, and clapped a hand on her shoulder. Clara smiled again, too.

"Well, I'd better be off to Muffle Mountain. I promised Miss Flint that I'd clean out her yard today." She picked up the paper plate that Mutt had eaten from, and walked over to her horse to untie him. Mutt remained where he was, with his head on his paws and his ears lowered peacefully. Strax turned to watch Clara.

"Has Jenny Flint… _ever_ given you a smile?" Clara looked back at Strax as she climbed up onto her horse, and looked amused.

"No. But she doesn't frighten my horse, either. Which means I don't think she's a bad person. I think she's just… sad." She shrugged, and dug her heels into the horse's sides. And as the pair disappeared into the distance, Strax sighed as Mr Conductor's voice called down from the hanging flowerbeds.

"Give Jenny time, Strax. She suffered the loss of Vastra a long time ago, yes, but a love like theirs would be hard to get over if you or I were in her position."

Strax sighed once more as he entered the station building, and instantly smiled over at the station manager, young Stacy Jones, who grinned right back at him. She had been his first friend here, in Shining Time – after Jenny left when her best friend, lover and wife died – when he'd crash-landed on Earth, just before Clara started to work at the town when she was fourteen. Little jobs, like painting welcome signs. He smiled more broadly at the thought. She quickly made an announcement to everyone before turning to talk to him.

"The ten o'clock train to Lucy's Leap is leaving now!"

Strax wandered over to the reception desk, smiling as Stacy lifted a fish tank from a young boy – Henry, or Harold, or whatever his name was – and leaving it on the desk next to her phone. "Oh, Strax! I found this child's drawing in the Lost and Found cupboard. And look at the signature – _Jenny Flint_!" She sighed. "It's hard to believe that Jenny could have ever been that happy…"

"Oh, Jenny had a… _wonderful_ smile. And she loved railroading, too."

* * *

The beam from a flashlight flickered over the rocky wall, and a young woman stepped inside the workshop that was hidden away from the rest of the world. She swallowed, and lowered her head as memories plagued the front of her mind once more.

"_One day, Vastra, I'm going to drive this engine, and I'll take you with me!"_

"_Promise that you will, Jenny! Promise?"_

"_I promise."_

The flashlight flickered over the engine that dominated most of the workshop, and Jenny Flint looked on sadly as she passed the torch's beam over the name that was painted on in gold – _Vastra_. Water could be heard dripping down onto the rocky floor from the ceiling.

The thump of footsteps could suddenly be heard, and Jenny turned around, shining her flashlight into Clara's face, who shut her eyes to shield them from the intensity of the beam. "How did you find me here?"

Clara grinned. "I found the entrance to your workshop _ages_ ago. But I would never tell anybody."

Jenny swallowed again, and pointed the beam away from Clara's face. It passed over a switch, and Jenny looked straight back at the younger woman. "See that switch on the wall?" Clara turned her head, and saw what Jenny was talking about. "Flip it on." She did so, and light filled the room, illuminating the dusty engine's purple paintwork with its golden casting and additional paintwork. Clara stepped forwards.

"I'd guessed there was something mysterious about this mountain."

"Yeah. All mountains have their secrets, Clara. Shouldn't surprise a kid like you," Jenny stated, smiling sadly as Clara stepped up onto the running board of the engine. Clara looked over the engine's boiler, around the golden funnel and dome, and straight at Jenny, who had bent down to pick up an old dusting cloth. Her friend was still young, still in the prime of her youth (barely into her thirties), but if you looked closely enough, you could see the age in her eyes. They were old, and weary, and just tired. After Vastra, Jenny's best friend, lover and wife (and a Silurian to boot), had died no more than eight years ago, the human had just given up on visiting Shining Time Station anymore. She rarely left Muffle Mountain to see anyone, but sometimes Strax would pop by, or maybe Stacy. Sometimes, the pair came together. You could never tell with those two.

"Should I help you, Miss Flint?" It was also a shame that Jenny refused to be called anything but _Miss Flint_ after Vastra died, too. Clara missed calling her friend Jenny when they were working together. It was always _Miss Flint_ this, and _Miss Flint_ that. Jenny looked up, and smiled a bit more broadly at Clara.

"Sure. You can help me dust her off." Jenny chucked the dusting cloth in Clara's direction, and the younger woman caught it effortlessly, despite only just noticing how much the Cockney accent had faded from Jenny's voice. She sounded much more formal, now. "This engine's name was Lady. Before I changed it to Vastra." She frowned a bit. "I know you understand what I mean."

"Yeah…" Clara started to dust off the magnificent golden funnel. "Why's she locked up?"

"She isn't." The sudden warmth in Jenny's tone did not go unnoticed. Clara looked up in surprise. Jenny was staring intently at the golden letters of the side of the cab. Her fingers brushed over them, bringing dust away and leaving them glimmering. "She's safe from harm."

Clara was intrigued, but didn't have to ask, as Jenny carried own. "Long ago, just before Vastra died, I made a mistake as Lady's caretaker. An evil diesel found Lady, and threatened to destroy her." Clara didn't know whether to believe Jenny or not, but she had no choice – her interest was piqued. "He chased her… used up all her coal. He made her go too fast… and then he crashed her. And I brought her here… I tried my best to fix her up… but I've never been able to…" Jenny paused. She looked lost. "…make up for the mistake I made. And I've never been able to… bring her to life. To make her steam." She ran her hand over the dusty boiler, almost as if she was stroking, or petting, the engine.

"Clara… she's as precious as gold."


End file.
